New Linkin Park singer Emily Armstrong has hailed the late Chester Bennington as a huge inspiration.
The former Dead Sara frontwoman has joined the group on their return from a seven-year break following the suicide of the singer and she’s admitted his way of performing had a “monumental impact” on her own vocals.
She told the Daily Star Sunday newspaper: “That mix of singing and screaming, of energy and empathy, that he possessed had a monumental impact on me.
“Chester has shaped me so much as a musician.”
Emily admitted it was daunting joining the band but she is enjoying the “challenge”.
She said: “It’s bigger than me, it’s bigger than us – this band belongs to the world.
“I welcome the challenge, but it was hard until I dived in.
“I’ve got one job, so I do that and everything else falls into place.”
Despite facing some criticism from fans over the decision to bring in a female vocalist, original member Mike Shinoda believes Chester would have approved.
He said: “I love Emily’s voice. It’s as simple as that.
“We tried demos with other singers but with her it’s authentic, visceral and honest in a way that few artists can do.
“Chester was unique in his genre, much like Emily is, with their own voice and identities.
“She’s not trying to be him, but herself…. the way she sings on these songs, it’s Linkin Park.
“[Chester] was a very open person. He would have loved the idea of a female vocalist.
“There’s a lot of sexism in rock ‘n’ roll but not with with us. Funnily enough, we haven’t had to change any of the lyrics for Emily because nothing was gendered in our words – no ‘she’ or ‘him’.”
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